THIBODAUX, La.  – Redshirt senior Mike Hanchar did not allow a hit to the No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns until the seventh inning and the Colonels took advantage of some spotty pitching to earn a 3-1 victory in their home opener Tuesday night at Ray E. Didier Field.
 
The win upped the Colonels' record to 2-2 on the season, while ULL slipped to 1-2.
 
After a solid showing out of the bullpen over the weekend, Hanchar looked even more impressive as he tossed seven innings and struck out nine in the victory. His only hit allowed came on a shot up the middle by Alex Pinero in the seventh with two down.
 
Joey Morales recorded two of the Colonels' five hits in the win, including a single in the opening frame which led to a 1-0 lead. Following a walk, Morales came around to score on two consecutive wild pitches from Jack Burk (0-1).
 
In the fourth, Nicholls made it 2-0 after Quan Smith was beaned with the bases loaded. Gavin Wehby reached on a base hit and following back-to-back two-out walks to make the bags full, Smith was hit by the second pitch from reliever Chris Carpenter.
 
With Hanchar cruising in the seventh, Nicholls tacked on one insurance run on another wild pitch. Smith was again hit by a pitch and moved all the way to third when Haden Erbe threw a wild pickoff to first. Morales walked and stole second before Erbe's pitch in the dirt allowed Smith to score for a 3-0 Colonel lead.
 
Daniel Goff relieved Hanchar in the eighth, and the Colonels used some glove work to keep the Cajuns off the board. With one on, pinch hitter Todd Lott hit a line shot at first baseman Gage Teer, who was able to knock it down and get the force at second. Goff then stopped a grounder up the middle and gunned down the lead runner heading to second. Goff then forced a grounder to second to end the frame.
 
The Cajuns put together a two-out rally in the ninth against Adam Tarver, who hit Steven Sensley to keep ULL's hopes alive. Pinero then recorded the hardest hit of the night as he found the gap in left center for a double, allowing Sensley to score from first. But Tarver got pinch hitter Kennon Fontenot to ground out to Wehby at second to end the game.
 
Lee Clark also had a hit for the Colonels and was one of four players to draw a free pass against the Cajuns.  
 
UP NEXT
 
The Colonels will play three games in the inaugural Mardi Gras Invitational, starting Thursday, Feb. 23. The first two games Thursday and Friday will be broadcast on Cox Sports Television at 7 p.m.